Modulation of breathers in cigar-shaped Bose-Einstein condensates

We present new solutions to the nonautonomous nonlinear Schrodinger equation that may be realized through convenient manipulation of Bose-Einstein condensates. The procedure is based on the modulation of breathers through an analytical study of the one-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation, which is known to offer a good theoretical model to describe quasi-one-dimensional cigar-shaped condensates. Using a specific ansatz, we transform the nonautonomous nonlinear equation into an autonomous one, which engenders composed states corresponding to solutions localized in space, with an oscillating behavior in time. Numerical simulations confirm stability of the modulated breathers against random perturbation on the input profile of the solutions. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.